Key retainer



Sept. 30, 1969 s. T. SHEARS 3,469,424

KEY RETAINER Filed Sept. 20, 1967 F G 3 INVENTOR.

STUART T. SHEARS E WQO'QHWM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,469,424 KEYRETAINER Stuart T. Shears, Belmont, Mass., assignor, by mesneassignments, to United-Carr Incorporated, Boston, Mass., a corporationof Delaware Filed Sept. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 669,366 Int. Cl. A45c 11/32US. Cl. 70-456 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A retainer forpivotally securing key loops to a key case. A base which is attached tothe key case has a loopreceiving section extending angularly upwardlyand outwardly beyond one end of the base. An arcuate loop-retainingsection which defines a loop head holding chamber extends still furtheroutwardly from the loop-receiving section and terminates in a free endwhich extends downwardly toward an imaginary planar extension of thebase. A portion of the free end of the loop-retaining section andportions of the loop-receiving section cooperatively define aconstricted entrance to the loop head holding chamber. A slot in theloop-receiving section communicates at one end with a slot in theloop-retaining section and at the other end with an enlarged opening inthe loop-receiving section whereby the head of the loop can be passedthrough the opening and snapped into the loop-retaining section. Thehead is thus snappedly retained in the chamber and the loop is pivotablein the communicating slots.

Background of the invention The invention relates generally to key-loopretainers and more particularly to a retainer formed from a resilientmaterial, for example, synthetic plastic, which is of unitaryconstruction and is universal in its application in that it is adaptedfor use with both hard and softbacked key cases.

Earlier developments in the field include retainers of multi-partconstruction having laterally sliding, pivotallever actuated and leafspring-like guards which act as constricters or barriers at the enlargedopenings through which the heads of the well-known Wire key loops areinserted and removed. Retainers of one-piece construction, usually sheetmetal, wherein the material of the key case per se acts as theconstrictor or barrier are also well known.

The invention is seen to represent a significant contribution to the artwhen viewed in the light of the earlier 'designs described above in thatit is of unitary construction and can be utilized equally efficientlywith either rigid or pliable key cases. In addition, the retainer isinexpensive to manufacture, readily attached to a key case and providesfor easy insertion and removal of the key loops, the requisite pivotalmovement of the loops and positive retention of the loops againstaccidental separation.

Summary of the invention Novelty is seen to reside in a unitary,universal keyloop retainer having a base which is attached to a keycase, an angularly oifset loop-receiving section having an enlargedOpening for receipt of a loop head and a slot communicating with theopening, and a slot in an outwardly extending loop-retaining sectionwhich snappedly receives and pivotally holds the loop head in a chambertherein.

Further appreciation of the contribution of the invention to the fieldwill be had from a reading of the detailed description which follows inconjunction with a viewing of the accompanying drawing.

Brief description of the drawing FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an openkey case having a key loop retainer according to the invention mountedthereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken on line 22 of FIG. 1 having afragmentary portion of a key loop retained therein;

:IG. 3 is a top plan view of the loop-retainer per se; an

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the retainer.

Description of a preferred embodiment The key loop retainer 1 depictedin the drawing is of unitary, molded plastic construction, for example,nylon, and includes a generally flat planar base 2, a loop-receivingsection 3 which extends angularly upwardly and forwardly from one end ofthe base 2, and an arcuate loopretaining section 4 which initiallyextends forwardly from the loop-receiving section 3 and then rearwardlytoward an imaginary planar extension of the base and terminates in afree end 5. The loop-retaining section 4 defines a loop head holdingchamber 6 and opposed facing ridges 7 and 8 projecting from theloop-receiving and loop-retaining sections, respectively, define aconstricted entrance to the chamber 6.

A plurality of spaced slots 9 in the loop-receiving section 3communicate at one end thereof with a plurality of spaced, enlargedopenings 10 in the same section and at the other end thereof with aplurality of spaced, aligned slots 11 in the loop-retaining section 4.The base 2 is provided with a pair of openings 12 for the receipt ofrivets or other fastening means by which the retainer is affixed to akey case. As is best depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the freeterminal end 5 of the loop-retaining section lies above the openings 10in the loop-receiving section 3.

FIGS. 1 and 2 depict the retainer secured to the dishshaped frame 13 ofthe well-known clamshell-type key case having a dished cover 14 springhinged at 15 to the frame 13. The frame and cover are of sheet metalconstruction and each is externally leather covered and internally feltlined. The retainer is riveted to the frame 13 and the remote end of theloop-retaining section 4 is disposed adjacent the leading edge of theframe.

The key loops 16 are the well-known spring wire type and each has anenlarged generally spherical head 17 at its end which head is of lesserdiameter than the enlarged openings 10 and the loop-holding chamber 6and of greater diameter than the Width of the slots 9 and 11 and theconstricted entrance to the chamber 6 defined by the ridges 7 and 8. Theloops 16 are attached to the retainer by passing the head 1') throughthe openings 10 and forcing the heads through the constricted openingbetween the ridges 7 and 8 whereby the free end 5 of the loop-retainingsection 4 is resiliently deflected away from the ridges 7 and thereaftersnaps back to the position of FIG. 2 whereby the heads 17 are snappedlyretained in the chamber 6 and the loops are pivotable within the slots 9and 11 for extending the key 18 outwardly of the case or returning samethereto.

The reader will observe that the free end 5 and ridge 8 of theloop-retaining section 4 are solid and continuous through the Width ofthe retainer and that the loop-receiving and retaining sections betweenthe slots 9 and 11, respectively, are of substantial width andthickness. Thus, the key loop heads are positively retained in thechamber 6 against accidental separation when pull is exerted thereonunder normal conditions of usage of one or more keys.

I claim:

1. A key loop retainer comprising a base, a loop-receiving sectionextending forwardly and upwardly from one end of said base and having anopening therethrough, and a resilient loop-retaining section initiallyextending forwardly from said loop-receiving section and then rearwardlytoward an imaginary planar extension of said base and terminating in afree end lying above said opening, said loop-retaining section defininga loop head holding chamber having a constricted entrance, saidloop-receiving section having a slot communicating at one end with aslot in said loop-retaining section and at the other end with saidopening, said opening providing access to said constricted entrance tosaid chamber under normal conditions of usage of said retainer.

2. A key loop retainer according to claim 1 which is of unitary, moldedplastic construction.

3. A key loop retainer according to claim 1 wherein said free end ofsaid loop-retaining section is solid and continuous throughout the widthof said retainer.

4. A retainer for attaching key loops having an enlarged head to a keycase comprising a base secured to the frame of the key case, aloop-receiving section extending angularly upwardly and forwardly fromone end of said base and having an enlarged opening therein, and aresilient loop-retaining section initially extending forwardly from saidloop-receiving section and then rearwardly toward an imaginary planarextension of said base and terminating in a free end lying above saidenlarged opening, said loop-retaining section defining a loop headholding chamber, said loop-receiving rand loop-retaining sections havingopposed facing ridges projecting toward each other and defining aconstricted entrance to said loop head holding chamber, saidloop-receiving section having a slot narrower than the loop headcommunicating at one end with a similarly sized slot in saidloopretaining section and at its other end with said enlarged openingwhereby the loop head is passed through said enlarged opening, snappedthrough said constricted entrance and into said loop head holdingchamber and retained therein for pivotal movement of the loop in saidcommunicating slots.

5. A key loop retainer comprising a base, .a loop-receiving sectionextending forwardly and upwardly from one end of said base and having anopening therethrough, and a resilient loop-retaining section initiallyextending forwardly from said loop-receiving section and then rearwardlytoward an imaginary planar extension of said base and terminating in afree end lying above said opening, said loop-retaining section defininga loop head holding chamber, said loop-receiving and loop-retainingsections having opposed facing ridges projecting toward each other anddefining a constricted entrance to said loop head holding chamber, saidloop-receiving section having a slot communicating at one end with aslot in said loop-retaining section and at the other end with saidopening, said opening providing access to said constricted entrance tosaid chamber under normal conditions of usage of said retainer.

6. A key loop retainer according to claim 5 wherein said opposed facingridges have converging cam surfaces to guide a key loop headtherebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,657,568 11/1953 Morrell 4563,008,323 11/1961 Legat 70456 3,132,504 5/1964 Beilis 70456 3,309,905 3/1967 Shepherd 70456 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner R. L. WOLFE,Assistant Examiner

